Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Time Machine Trip to August 1891

 

Kaukauna Times - August 1891


By Lyle Hansen


August 7, 1891



So great is a demand for silver dimes, that they are turned out now at a rate of 100,000 a day. For this purpose, all the not circulated silver coin is being reworked, notably the silver half dollar, which is a clumsy pocket piece and very unpopular.

 

The two musicians who played on the streets for nickels for a couple of days last week, illustrates the fact that there are many ways for lazy people to get a living, even if it is not a very honorable one. If the people drop nickels into the hands of such able-bodied specimens of laziness, would give their street change to some deserving cases of charity in our midst, it would be doing something that would benefit persons who need it.

 

The contract for building the high school structure on the island was led out that Gus Fleck for $940,

 

La Crosse mills are running short of logs. Some of them will be obligated to shut down soon. They have 50,000,000 feet of logs lying on the banks and on sand bars but the water in the river is so low that the logs cannot be brought down.

 

August 14, 1891

Wells and cisterns in all parts of the city are fast going dry and from every quarter come the cry "what are we to do for water?" Wells that had always flowed freely for years are dry or nearly so, and people are obliged to carry water for many blocks for household use and other purposes.

 

Michigan forest fires are raging everywhere here says a Cheboygan dispatch, and the smoke is so dense at times it is difficult to see objects near. Little rain has fallen since April. trees and grass are dying, and the crops are an entire failure. 

 

The new road scraper ordered by the city arrived this week and has been doing effective work on the streets. The scraper is hauled around by teams of horses and with its aid more work is accomplished in one hour than a crew of three dozen men could do in a day. The scraper cost about $125 and will save triple the amount in one season. 

 

Officer Moran attempted to stop a fellow from Menasha who was driving about the city at two fast a rate of speed last Saturday evening. Just as he grabbed the bridle of the horse the driver lashed the animal with a whip and the sudden lunge forward threw Pat beneath the wheels breaking his shoulder blade. 

 

A stranger coming to Kaukauna last Saturday night would have thought he had struck Saratoga summer resort. At Heindel's Hall the Bohemian glassblowers were surrounded by a crowd. Further on the music and merry laughter of a host of dancers floated from the Opera house. Still further the merry-go-round with a monster hand organ was making merriment. On the corner a street doctor shouted the merits of his wonder oil to an assembled multitude. Combine this with the roar of the Fox River, the Lakeshore trains, and the general rush to and from of pedestrians. A stranger would imagine he had stepped off into a second Chicago.

 

Removed a Tape Worm – Dr. B.H. Westfall and wife, travel from Michigan with “Herbs of Life” and “Wonder Oil” and performed many wondrous cures the past 15 years. They were in Kaukauna this week selling the medicines. The Dr. erected a stand near the Grand View Hotel where he lectures and offers his goods for sale nightly. On Saturday morning Conductor Mike Skinnion, of Kaukauna, commenced taking the doctor’s medicine, on Wednesday morning he was relieved of a tapeworm 64 feet in length. Following the removal of the worm Mr. Skinnion went to work as usual. The worm was seen by the TIMES reporter yesterday morning while still alive and moving, so that we can vouch for the truthfulness of the occurrence. 

Freedom school board offers a $50 reward for the arrest and conviction of the party who place two skunks in the school room there recently. The board possesses considerable evidence, but it is mostly of circumstantial nature which is not legally sufficient. 

 

August 21, 1891

Girls would rather wear rings than thimbles this is where they make a mistake.

 

A sad, sad tale of woe comes from the hill this week. A young couple departed for the beach one day last week to enjoy the cool breezes of some shady dock leaving a little fellow at home to await their return. They had not been gone long when he tired of remaining alone and wandered away. Toward evening when they returned to greet the little fellow they had left behind, without the least thought of impending danger. But alas he had gone. A search of the neighborhood revealed no sign of his whereabouts. Neighbors were called out and the hunt continued until late the following day when the remains of the unfortunate little Dottie was found afloat in the river near the head gates of the canal. The bereaved have the sympathy of the entire community. The funeral for the little dog occurred today.

 

Capt. Neff says that he is never known the water in Lake Winnebago to be as low as it is now. Navigation is greatly impeded and the bars at both Neenah and Menasha a making a great deal of trouble for boats. It is impossible for boats heavily laden and steamers wishing to make points above Butte des Morts are obliged to carry light cargoes.


Marshal Kuehn received a telegram from Milwaukee last Friday, announcing the arrest of two men who answered to the description of those wanted for the Aufrieter robbery which was committed here last week. He departed for the Cream City the next day and return with the “birds” on the 9 o'clock Lakeshore train in the evening. Mr. Aufrieter identified the men as the ones who visited his place of business proving beyond a doubt that the money found on their persons belonged to him. They were arraigned before Justice Mulloy the same evening and hearing adjourned until Wednesday.

 

August 28, 1891

The Kaukauna Electric Light Co. believes in looking out for the welfare of everyone. Fearing that the brilliancy of some of their lights might dazzle the eyes of pedestrians they covered their lamps with screen work, a large crop of spiders having been engaged for some time on the job. There is one light on Wisconsin Avenue which reminds us of a candle under a peck measure.


Actual count shows that eighty new residences had been built on the south side this summer. Who dares to say to Kaukauna it is not advancing?

 







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